The Thief of Redwall
by cOOkiMoNsteR626
Summary: Always running, Roy the thief has never opened up to anybody with his heart as hard and cold as stone. But when he runs into Redwallers, they run into danger. Will he flee or stay to help and fight?


**Disclaimer: Redwall, Mossflower n all that pretty stuff isn't mine and belongs solely to Brian Jacques, but the characters I use in this story are mine…..well, except for Martin the warrior, of course. So, don't sue me! I wont have any money to pay u anyway…..less hire a lawyer…..lolz.  anyway, plz R+R! **

Chapter One

It was a dark, cold night.  The rain pounded hard among the campers.  The horrible weather did nothing to lift the foul moods of the Raiders.  Fowler, the leader of the gang, picked his large teeth in anger.  The rains prevented them from making a fire and that made his comrades even angrier.  The prisoners, however, were glad for the rain. It gave them time to think and it meant they didn't have to walk either. 

 The prisoners were made up of a band of innocent folks.  Mira was squirrel who had been minding her business down by a quiet stream when she was taken by surprise.  The Raiders assured her that they only meant good and wanted to escort her safely back to her town since it was not safe for pretty gals like her to walk around the forest on their own.  Mira, innocent and not knowing of bandits, thieves, and robbers, listened to them and let them follow her to her town.  That was a mistake, of course, and she lived to regret that day.  The Raiders had gone about stealing, killing, and doing whatever they wished.  The weasels, ferrets, and rats all enjoyed taking Mira as prisoner and laughed at her as they chained her up with the others.  They killed her husband right in front of her eyes.  

Mira had given birth to Roy on the move with the Raiders.  It was hard to take care of him, but take care of him she did.  It was what she lived for since she had nothing else left.  Indle, a stray otter, was a very close friend of hers.  He had helped her many times and she owed him her life over five times.  The prisoners were very tightly bonded, having depended on each other for survival.  They taught each other what they knew and exchanged knowledge of the land when they were able to.  To entertain themselves and cheer each other up, they told stories.  

"I don' know why we're staying in this lot.  Fowler must've eaten somethin' foul or somethin'." A cold, surly voice said.  The prisoners stayed quiet, listening into the conversation.  

"Aye, that I must agree with.  There's nothin' 'ere in Mossflower Woods." A second voice said. 

"Ye're both nuts, mates.  Redwall's nearby.  Fowler wants Redwall."

"Redwall?  Never 'eard of it."

"I'm tellin' ya, ye've gone nuts.  Everyone knows bout Redwall.  'Tis like a castle!  Full of food and treasure, ya know,"

"Treasure?"

"Yep, loads of 'em, I hear.  Fowler wants it all.  That's why ye're here." The third voice chided.  Mira lost interest in the conversation about gold and could only feel pity for this place Redwall they spoke of.  Mira busied herself by making sure Roy was warm in the bundle of cloth she held him in.  Indle nudged her.  

"Mira, have ye heard of Redwall Abbey?" Indle asked, his eyes twinkling.  Mira frowned slightly.  She shook her head, clearly not wanting to talk about it but Indle wouldn't be let off that easily.  "'Tis the greatest place on earth!  Me ol' pop was a good friend of the abbot there.  I hear they give a blast of a feast!  I sometimes dream o' that place and sometimes me thinks I'm dreamin' o' heaven, aye."

"Aye, you're dreaming of it because it doesn't exist," Mira said quietly.  Indle made a noise as if he were choking on something.  Then he sucked in his breath as if in pain.  

"Mira, how can ye say such a thing?!  Redwall Abbey _does exist!  I will show ye Redwall meself, even if I haveta die tryin'!" _

"Don't talk poppycock, Indle!  Get some rest while you can," Mira scolded.  

"Yes marm," he replied, but he still wouldn't stop talking about Redwall.  It even seemed to energize old Dandle, an old church mouse. The prisoners were busy talking about stories of Redwall and Mira felt quite alone with Roy sleeping against her.  Feeling lonesome and buried in her sorrow, Mira fell into a fitful sleep.  

Mira's eyes flung open as she was kicked awake.  Instinctively, her arms wrapped around Roy to protect him.  "Git up, ye lazy scurvy toad!" the foul vermin spat, kicking Mira.  Mira pulled herself up along with the others.  The rain hadn't disappeared, but it lightened itself, allowing Fowler to travel. To her surprise, the prisoners seemed rather happy to get a move on.  Baffled, Mira minded her own business and followed the line of prisoners.  Indle began to hum heartily until a weasel prodded him with his rust spear. 

"Shut it, will ya?  It's buggin' the beetles out o' me ears," the weasel snarled.  Indle frowned but obeyed.  

"Too bad 'e can't shut 'is face 'cause his ugliness is botherin' me poor eyes," Indle muttered.  Mira smiled, changing arms as she held Roy.  

"He's getting heavier everyday now," Mira breathed out, rubbing Roy's back.  Mira was grateful that Roy didn't cry and wail all the time.  If he'd done that, she would've lost him weeks ago.  

"Aye, 'cause he's goin' ter grow strong jus' like meself!  Isn't that righ' matey?" Indle said, ruffling Roy's small head.  Indle smiled down at him resting on Mira's shoulder.  

They walked on and the excitement in both the vermin and prisoners seemed to die down.  With no sight of life in these woods, their hopes dwindled down to almost nothing.  Mira could feel her strength slowly seeping away already and it wasn't anywhere near nightfall.  "Ah, m'dear, let me take that ol' bugger fer a while." Indle said, reaching for Roy.

"Oh, would you, Indle?  Many thanks!" Mira breathed out in relief.  Indle smiled and took Roy in his arms.  It was much easier on Mira and she wasn't so bad as to dwell on sad thoughts the entire time.  

"Ye know, Mira, nobeast dwindles on such sad thoughts as much as ye do.  I've never set eyes on a sadder beast!  Ye need t'quit it 'afore it rubs off on me matey 'ere." Indle said as they walked on.  Mira sighed and looked up at the sky, pushing away his comment.  She frowned and squinted when she saw something flash across the sky, the branches above shaking.  

"Indle, look up and tell me I'm not seeing things," Mira said, tugging Indle's arm. Indle looked up for a while and then he gasped.  

"Ye're sure not seeing things, Mira!  If me noggin's workin' correctly, that's a flyin' squirrel!" Indle breathed out in awe.

"Shh!" a prisoner whispered furiously, pinching Indle.  "Shut your mouth, Indle!" 

"Now, miss Bellflower, is there somethin' ye ain't tellin' us?" Indle asked but in a lower voice, a suspicious voice.  The mouse with darling blue eyes looked up at Indle and grinned.  

"Find out and wait, Indle, but you won't live to see it if you don't keep that mouth of yours shut!" Bellflower whispered.  Surely enough, the prisoners seemed a bit anxious about something.  Mira couldn't help it herself.  She didn't know what to expect but she knew something was going to happen.  The vermin seemed to realize it too.  They glared at the prisoners suspiciously, poking and prodding them with the spears to keep moving.  

Blackeye, Fowler's first mate, shifted uneasily and finally moved forward to talk to Fowler.  "Erm, Fowler matey, me thinks those rotters are up t'somethin'." Blackeye muttered in a low voice.  

"What was that?" Fowler's husky voice came, leaning towards Blackeye.  Blackeye leaned closer towards Fowler and whispered into Fowler's ear.

"Those prisoners, mate, they're up to somethin'…..they're lookin' smug 'bout somethin' n' I don' like it one bit." 

"What was that again?" Fowler asked, beckoning Blackeye closer.  Blackeye frowned but leaned closer to repeat his suspicion but Fowler pulled up his paw, hitting Blackeye square in the jaw.  Blackeye fell back with a yelp, clutching his nozzle, and whimpering.  

"Wot was that fer?" Blackeye cried out.

"They're prisoners, Blackeye!  They don' possess the wit to plan an escape from me!  I'm Fowler, the greatest weasel of all!" Fowler shouted, threatening to strike Blackeye once more.  Blackeye cringed.  

"My mistake, Fowler!  Ye're right, matey, they were jus'…..er…..slowin' down, that's it!  Faster, ye great oaks!" he shouted, kicking at the nearest prisoner.  Fowler shook his head and moved onward.  Just for caution, Fowler looked around.  He scoffed.  He could not be outwitted by the poor group of starving prisoners.  He grinned. 

"Blackeye, make sure they don't get any lunch or dinner t'day." Fowler ordered.  Blackeye grinned.

"Aye, matey, that's more like it!"

Night settled once more and the rain was nothing but a light drizzle.  Indle opened his mouth and collected what water he could catch.  Mira collected water on a leaf and fed it to Roy who drank it slowly.  Crickets sang and the clouds shifted slightly, showing patches of the starry night sky.  Mira breathed it all in and smiled.  She hadn't smiled that pleasantly in quite a long time.  Starved though they were, their hearts were light.  Roy cooed at the drops of rain that settled on his tiny paws.  He licked them tenderly and then held out his paw to catch more.   

The vermin were quiet, but still grumbling at the low food and no fire.  They filled their stomachs only with rum.  The more rum the better, Bellflower thought.  It would slow them down a bit.  

Bellflower looked around and saw that Fowler was in his tent talking with Blackeye while the rest of the vermin sat in the mud, grumbling and complaining quietly.  Then, Bellflower smiled.  She saw her father chancing a peek just behind a tree.  He spotted Bellflower and winked.  Bellflower winked back.  Her father turned around to signal the others.  Bellflower turned to Indle for her was the strongest in the group.  "Indle, are you awake?" she asked, tugging his tattered vest.

"Aye, 'course I am.  I always sleep with one eye open, don' ye know?" Indle replied, yawning.  Bellflower smiled.

"I need you to carry Dandle for us, dear Indle.  She won't be able to run as fast as us." Bellflower whispered quietly.

"Runnin'?  We're runnin'?" Indle asked excitedly.  

"Hush!" Bellflower scolded.  Indle nodded, pursing his lips tightly.  Bellflower quietly nudged the others awake, waiting for her father's last signal.  It finally came.  A hare and a squirrel, dressed in the most awkward fashion, strolled into the camp as if they didn't see it.  Their hats were big with large, dyed plume feathers that looked rather ridiculous on them.  Their clothes were very bright, making them stand out in the crowd of vermin.  They chatted along carelessly.  "I wouldn't mind a bit of rose cordial right 'bout now, ol' chap!" the hare exclaimed loudly. 

"Well, what're ye tellin' me fer?  I got no rose cordial!" the squirrel replied, frowning.  Mira blinked, trying to make out what her eyes were seeing.  

"You bloat!  You've lied to me!  The nerve! Ye told me you was getting' the cordial right away!"

"I've said nothin' 'bout cordial!  'Twas you who said so loudly you'd get the cordial!"

"Great seasons o' ham, you blitherin' buffoon, how dare you blame me?" cried the hare, whapping the squirrel right on the head between the ears with a walking stick.  Indle winced.  

"Ye ol' rabbit of turd! Whackin' me with that stick o' yers!  Ye'll see where that gets ye!" the squirrel announced, completely unaware of the large group of amused vermin.  The squirrel pulled out a loaf of bread and whacked the hare across the face with it.

"A rabbit of turd indeed!  I'm a hare, thank you very much, wot wot, you stinkin' miscreant!" the hare shouted back, taking the walking stick and poking the squirrel in the chest. 

"You know, there _is a bit o' a stink here.  Is that really you, Womplesnout?" the squirrel asked, lowering his arm that held the lethal loaf of bread._

"'Course not, ye scallywag! Quit changing the subject, sah!" 

"You mentioned the stink first, nincompoop!" the squirrel squeaked, whacking the hare with the loaf of bread.  

"Waste of good food, I say, wot!" the hare cried out, trying to dodge the squirrel's blows.  The vermin laughed, amused.  Fowler walked out of his tent, Blackeye beside him.

"What's going on here?!" Fowler bellowed.  

"Tchah!  Where did all these nasty vermin come from?" the hare cried out, clinging to the squirrel as he looked around wildly. 

"Looks like we found yer friends after all," the squirrel said, braving a smile. 

"Ol' chap, I do believe these vermin mean us harm." The hare observed out loud.  

"It's the stink ye've brought along with ye, Womplesnout.  I told yer t'take a bath."

"Are you on my side or theirs, you fiend?!" the hare exclaimed, looking thoroughly ruffled.  The squirrel let out a mighty laugh.  

"I say, I do think this is the part when we make a run fer it," the squirrel announced.  The vermin were slow to realize what was happening.  Fowler was speechless.  Such mindless creatures, walking into camps and arguing over cordial!  He smiled when he remembered he'd starved the prisoners.  He wondered what their faces were like, watching that loaf of bread waving around and those two fools talking about cordial.  Fowler turned to the prisoners' area and his yellow eyes grew wide.  They were gone!  He saw about two figures making their way into the forests.  

"Them prisoners!  You lazy, brainless idiots!  Get up and after 'em!" Fowler roared.  The hare and the squirrel aided the remaining prisoners escape.  It took a moment for the moment to get to their senses, Fowler and Blackeye howling in their ears and faces and all.  

Mira, quite breathless, grasped Roy tightly as she ran.  She was one of the last to leave and was still quite close to the camp.  She cried out when her foot was grabbed.  

"Ye won't git away ferm me, aye!" the rat snarled.  Her eyes grew wide, not at the rat, but because Fowler himself was running towards her.  He kicked away the rat and tried to take Roy from her.  

"No!" she cried out, clinging to Roy tightly.  

"I'm takin' ye with him, you foul clump o' fur!" Fowler bellowed.  Mira groped for a weapon, for a rock, stick, anything.  When her paw felt a dagger the rat probably dropped, Mira couldn't believe her luck.  She grasped it and swiped it across Fowler's cheek.  Stunned, Fowler froze.  Indle came just in time to pull Mira away from Fowler.  Fowler howled with rage as he watched them run away.  "This isn't over yet!  I'll make ye pay fer what ye've done t'me t'night, you filthy blaggards!" Fowler roared, clutching his cheek that was pouring out blood.  

Fowler's threats were empty, however.  The prisoners were free and they ran through the woods.  Mira's heart soared.  She was free!  They had escaped!  Poor Indle couldn't help himself and sang out a song in his deep, strong voice.  Others joined in as well the tears erupted from their eyes.  They were free at last!

~+~

**AN: well, this is my first time actually writing a fanfiction!  I hope it's alright…..my brother read half of it and he thought it was decent…..seeing as to how much he loves Redwall novels.  Anyway, I wrote this for him and I was like, hey, I might as well post this up on ff.com! so, here it is!  I hope u all enjoyed it…..plz review n tell me wut u think!**


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